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Thursday, September 20, 2012

Kenzan @ GPO

I can't say that I've ever had a great experience at Kenzan @ GPO, but for some reason I keep on returning there. Perhaps it's because it's supposed to be good, but I suspect it's because it's convenient to get to.

On a previous occasion, I stopped by for a pre-theatre meal. The incredibly slow service meant that even though we changed our order to take-away, we missed the start of the show! Shame, considering the rest of the show was excellent and the staff are super polite.

Kenzan @ GPO

This time around, Kenzan seemed like a decent idea for a lunch catch-up with a friend, especially as he was on a mission to try all the Ramen dishes in Melbourne. It didn't hurt that the service was speedy this time around.

Chashu Ramen

With his new-found expertise in the realm of Ramen, he deemed this 'acceptable'. Nothing brilliant, but not terrible either. The soup was lacking depth, but at least the ingredients were fresh.

I ordered the standard bento box and was a little confused at what arrived.

Bento Box

I find it hard to pass over a bento box as I like to try a bit of everything, but this dish was just too chaotic. There were too many bits and pieces, and half the time I couldn't figure out what I was eating - Tofu? Meat? Seaweed? The chicken (top right) was too dry, as were the sushi rolls, and I really wanted some good quality sashimi. I was starving, so I finished it regardless, but it left me less than satisfied. In hindsight, I should have ordered some of their generously sized (and fairly expensive) handrolls that are guaranteed to be fresh.

Kenzan is very popular with the CBD business crowd, both for lunch and dinner and is quite busy as a result. The service is always friendly, but the speed at which the food comes out is a bit hit-and-miss. It's a little more expensive than you'd expect to pay for Japanese on Swanson St, and frankly, if it wasn't in such a convenient location, I wouldn't be returning.